Battery pack

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the invention provide a battery pack including a pack body and a plurality of terminals. The pack body has first and second main surfaces that are opposed to each other in a first axis direction, first and second end surfaces that are opposed to each other in a second axis direction orthogonal to the first axis direction, and first and second side surfaces that are opposed to each other in a third axis direction orthogonal to the first axis direction and the second axis direction. The plurality of terminals includes a positive terminal, a negative terminal, a temperature detection terminal, and a control terminal that are arranged on the first end surface along the third axis direction. The negative terminal is arranged between the temperature detection terminal and the control terminal and closer to the control terminal than the temperature detection terminal.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present technology relates to a battery pack capable of beingmounted to an electronic apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

In a compact electronic apparatus such as a digital still camera, adigital video camera, or a mobile phone, a battery pack like alithium-ion secondary battery is mounted in a detachable state. Somebattery packs are known to include control terminals for communicationand temperature detection terminals for temperature detection, inaddition to positive terminals and negative terminals. For example,Patent Document 1 below discloses a battery pack including, on the frontthereof, a terminal unit in which a control terminal, a negativeterminal, a temperature detection terminal, and a positive terminal arearranged in the stated order in a width direction thereof.

On the other hand, generally, a battery pack is prepared for each modelof electronic apparatuses, and the arrangement of contacts connected tothe terminals of the battery pack is different among each model ofelectronic apparatuses. Therefore, in an electronic apparatus to which abattery pack including a temperature detection terminal and a controlterminal in addition to a positive terminal and a negative terminal ismounted, the arrangement of contacts to be connected to those terminalsis determined so as to correspond to the arrangement of those terminalsof the battery pack.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-176486

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Problem to be Solved by the Invention

However, in the case where a battery pack is not correctly mounted to anelectronic apparatus or the shape of a contact of the electronicapparatus is defective, a proper mounting state of the battery pack andthe electronic apparatus cannot be ensured, which causes a possibilitythat the electronic apparatus cannot be correctly operated.

In view of the circumstances as described above, it is an object of thepresent technology to provide a battery pack capable of ensuring anormal operation of an electronic apparatus.

Means for Solving the Problem

In order to achieve the object descried above, according to anembodiment of the present technology, there is provided a battery packincluding a pack body and a plurality of terminals.

The pack body has a first main surface and a second main surface thatare opposed to each other in a first axis direction, a first end surfaceand a second end surface that are opposed to each other in a second axisdirection orthogonal to the first axis direction, and a first sidesurface and a second side surface that are opposed to each other in athird axis direction orthogonal to the first axis direction and thesecond axis direction.

The plurality of terminals include a positive terminal, a negativeterminal, a temperature detection terminal, and a control terminal thatare arranged on the first end surface along the third axis direction.The negative terminal is arranged between the temperature detectionterminal and the control terminal and closer to the control terminalthan the temperature detection terminal.

In the battery pack described above, the negative terminal arrangedbetween the temperature detection terminal and the control terminal isarranged closer to the control terminal than the temperature detectionterminal. Accordingly, a contact of an electronic apparatus, which is tobe connected to the negative terminal, is prevented from beingerroneously connected to the temperature detection terminal, and a statewhere the contact is properly connected to the negative terminal can bestably maintained. As a result, a normal operation of the electronicapparatus can be ensured.

The first end surface may include a first terminal window, a secondterminal window, a third terminal window, and a fourth terminal window.

The first terminal window exposes the control terminal to an outside.The second terminal window is provided apart from the first terminalwindow by a first gap and exposes the negative terminal to the outside.The third terminal window is provided apart from the second terminalwindow by a second gap larger than the first gap and exposes thetemperature detection terminal to the outside. The fourth terminalwindow exposes the positive terminal to the outside.

The temperature detection terminal may be arranged between the negativeterminal and the positive terminal. Since a distance between thepositive terminal and the negative terminal can be increased, electricalinsulation between both the terminals can be enhanced.

The positive terminal may have an area larger than that of the negativeterminal. Accordingly, a degree of freedom on the arrangement of thecontact of the electronic apparatus is enhanced, and a proper mountingstate of the battery pack can be ensured.

The first end surface may include a first concave portion provided closeto the first side surface and a second concave portion provided close tothe second side surface. The first concave portion and the secondconcave portion are arranged on the first end surface and closer to thesecond main surface than the first main surface.

Accordingly, a function of preventing the battery pack from beingerroneously inserted into the electronic apparatus can be obtained.

In this case, the plurality of terminals may be arranged on the firstend surface and closer to the first side surface than the second sidesurface.

Since the symmetry of the terminals with respect to a center lineextending on the first end surface and being parallel to the first axisdirection is lost, an electrical connection between the terminals andthe electronic apparatus at the time of erroneous insertion can behindered.

Further, in the above case, the first concave portion may have a widthdimension larger than that of the second concave portion in the thirdaxis direction.

Accordingly, the interference between the first concave portion and theelectronic apparatus can be prevented at the time of proper insertion,and a stable electrical connection with the electronic apparatus can beensured.

The plurality of terminals may be arranged on the first end surface andcloser to the first main surface than the second main surface.

Since the symmetry of the terminals with respect to a center lineextending on the first end surface and being parallel to the third axisdirection is lost, an electrical connection between the terminals andthe electronic apparatus at the time of erroneous insertion can behindered.

The second end surface may include a locking portion configured to belocked to an electronic apparatus. In this case, the locking portion isarranged on the second end surface and closer to the second main surfacethan the first main surface.

Accordingly, for example, in the case where the battery pack is mountedto the electronic apparatus with the first end surface side of thebattery pack being brought into contact with the electronic apparatuswhile the second end surface side of the battery pack is rotatably movedabout an axis parallel to the third axis direction, the battery pack canbe prevented from being accidentally detached from the electronicapparatus.

Effect of the Invention

As described above, according to the present technology, a normaloperation of the electronic apparatus can be ensured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to anembodiment of the present technology.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the battery pack.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the battery pack.

FIG. 4 is a right side view of the battery pack.

FIG. 5 is a left side view of the battery pack.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the battery pack.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a detailed configuration of a terminalsurface of the battery pack.

FIG. 8 is a front view schematically showing an electronic apparatus towhich the battery pack is mounted.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the electronicapparatus to which the battery pack is mounted.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a structure of an inner surface ofa top cover that forms the terminal surface of the battery pack.

FIG. 11 is a bottom view showing the structure of the inner surface ofthe top cover.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the top cover.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a bottom cover that forms a rear surface ofthe battery pack.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the electronicapparatus to which the battery pack is mounted.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of another electronicapparatus to which the battery pack is mounted.

FIG. 16 is a plan view for describing details of terminal windows formedon the top cover.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present technology will be describedwith reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 5 each show an outer appearance of a battery pack accordingto an embodiment of the present technology. FIG. 1 is a perspectiveview, FIG. 2 is a plan view, FIG. 3 is a front view, FIG. 4 is a rightside view, and FIG. 5 is a left side view. In each figure, directions ofthree axes orthogonal to one another are denoted by X, Y, and Z.

A battery pack 100 of this embodiment includes a pack body 10 and aterminal unit 20.

[Pack Body]

The pack body has an upper surface 11 (first main surface), a lowersurface 12 (second main surface), a front surface 13 (first endsurface), a rear surface 14 (second end surface), a right side surface15 (first side surface), and a left side surface 16 (second sidesurface). The upper surface 11 and the lower surface 12 are opposed toeach other in an X-axis direction (first axis direction). The frontsurface 13 and the rear surface 14 are opposed to each other in a Y-axisdirection (second axis direction). The right side surface 15 and theleft side surface 16 are opposed to each other in a Z-axis direction(third axis direction). In the figure, the X-axis direction correspondsto a thickness direction of the battery pack, the Y-axis directioncorresponds to a length direction thereof, and the Z-axis directioncorresponds to a width direction thereof.

The pack body 10 is formed in a substantially rectangular and flat shapeas a whole. The upper surface 11 and the lower surface 12 are eachformed of a substantially flat surface. The front surface 13 and therear surface 14 each have a difference in level, and surfaces formed ofthe differences in level are each formed of a substantially flatsurface. The right side surface 15 and the left side surface 16 are eachformed of an arc-shaped surface bulging outward. As shown in FIG. 2, thepack body 10 is substantially symmetric with respect to a center line P1passing the center of the width direction of the front surface 13 andbeing parallel to the X-axis direction and is also substantiallysymmetric with respect to a center line P2 passing the center of thethickness direction of the front surface 13 and being parallel to theZ-axis direction, when viewed from the front surface 13 side.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of the batterypack 100. The pack body 10 includes a cell unit 30, a top cover 31 fixedto a front end of the cell unit 30, and a bottom cover 32 fixed to arear end of the cell unit 30. The top cover 31 forms the front surface13 of the pack body 10, and the bottom cover 32 forms the rear surface14 of the pack body 10.

The cell unit 30 includes a can body having a substantially rectangular,flat tube shape as a whole, and a battery cell incorporated into the canbody. The battery cell is constituted of a non-aqueous electrolytesecondary battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery. The can bodyis formed of, for example, a metal material such as aluminum. A resinlayer of nylon or the like is provided on a surface of the can body toachieve electrical insulation and protection of the surface of the canbody. Further, a resin layer that is made of polypropylene or the likeand excellent in insulation property and bending property is provided onan inner surface of the can body, and the can body is capable of beingheat-sealed with the top cover 31 and the bottom cover 32 via the resinlayer.

The top cover 31 and the bottom cover 32 are each formed of, forexample, an injection molded body of a synthetic resin material made ofpolypropylene or the like. The top cover 31 is attached to the cell unit30 so as to cover the front end thereof. The bottom cover 32 is attachedto the cell unit 30 so as to the rear end thereof. The top cover 31 andthe bottom cover 32 have an outer shape corresponding to that of thefront end and the rear end of the cell unit 30. Therefore, the top cover31 and the bottom cover 32 have a substantially oblong shape in planview.

A label 17 is attached to the pack body 10 over the upper surface 11,the rear surface 14, and the lower surface 12. The label 17 is formed ofa resin sheet made of polyethylene terephthalate, for example. A frontside of the label 17 is a printed surface on which an insertiondirection, a manufacturer name, a model, a mark of terminal, and thelike are printed. A rear side of the label 17 is a bonding surface onwhich a bonding layer is formed.

[Terminal Unit]

The terminal unit 20 is accommodated between the cell unit 30 and thetop cover 31. The terminal unit 20 includes a wiring substrate 21, apositive tab 22 and a negative tab 23, a holder 24, and a PTC (PositiveTemperature Coefficient) thermistor 25 that are arranged in the statedorder from the top cover 31 side.

The holder 24 supports the positive tab 22 and the negative tab 23. Thepositive tab 22 and the negative tab 23 are connected to a positive leadterminal and a negative lead terminal, respectively, which are drawnfrom the inside of the cell unit 30. The PTC 25 is arranged between thenegative tab 23 and the negative lead terminal. The PTC 25 has afunction of substantially blocking a current that flows into the cellunit 30 when the temperature of the cell unit 30 is higher than a settemperature and electrical resistance abruptly increases.

A double-sided substrate is used for the wiring substrate 21. A positiveterminal 21 a, a negative terminal 21 b, a temperature detectionterminal 21 c, and a control terminal 21 d are arranged on the surfaceof the wiring substrate 21 on the top cover 31 side. The positiveterminal 21 a and the negative terminal 21 b are electrically connectedto the positive tab 22 and the negative tab 23, respectively, which areopposed to the rear surface of the wiring substrate 21. The terminals 21a to 21 d are formed to have a conductive pattern obtained by, forexample, laminating gold plating layers on a surface of copper foil.

Further, a thermistor as a temperature detection device, a protectioncircuit that monitors a voltage between terminals, a determinationcircuit that determines a type of battery and the like, etc. arearranged on the surface of the wiring substrate 21. The thermistor isconnected to the temperature detection terminal 21 c, and thedetermination circuit is connected to the control terminal 21 d, forexample. It should be noted that the determination circuit may not bemounted depending on the specifications.

The terminals 21 a to 21 d of the terminal unit 20 are exposed from thefront surface 13 of the pack body 10, that is, from the surface of thetop cover 31, to the outside. Therefore, the front surface 13 of thepack body 10 (the surface of the top cover 31) forms the terminalsurface 101 of the battery pack 100.

Hereinafter, the battery pack 100 of this embodiment will be describedin detail.

(Terminal Arrangement)

In the battery pack 100 of this embodiment, the terminal unit 20includes the positive terminal 21 a, the negative terminal 21 b, thetemperature detection terminal 21 c, and the control terminal 21 d thatare arranged along the Z-axis direction on the terminal surface 101 (thefront surface 13 of the pack body 10). The negative terminal 21 b isarranged between the temperature detection terminal 21 c and the controlterminal 21 d and closer to the control terminal 21 d than thetemperature detection terminal 21 c.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the FIG. 2, showing the terminal surface101. The terminals of the terminal unit 20 are linearly arranged in theorder of the control terminal 21 d, the negative terminal 21 b, thetemperature detection terminal 21 c, and the positive terminal 21 a fromthe left-hand side of FIG. 7 along the Z-axis direction. The negativeterminal 21 b arranged between the control terminal 21 d and thetemperature detection terminal 21 c is arranged closer to the controlterminal 21 d than the temperature detection terminal 21 c as shown inFIG. 7.

It should be noted that in FIG. 7, for the sake of convenience, thecontrol terminal 21 d is denoted by a symbol “C”, the negative terminal21 b by a symbol “−”, the temperature detection terminal 21 c by asymbol “T”, and the positive terminal 21 a by a symbol “+”, but thosesymbols may not be imparted to those terminals in reality.

FIG. 8 is a front view schematically showing an electronic apparatus 200to which the battery pack 100 is mounted. Although a digital stillcamera is applied as the electronic apparatus 200, for example, othercompact electronic apparatuses such as a digital video camera, a mobilephone, and a portable game device are applicable. Further, examples ofthe electronic apparatus 200 include a charger for recharging thebattery pack 100.

A device body 201 of the electronic apparatus 200 includes a lens barrelunit 202 and a battery mounting unit 203. The battery mounting unit 203is provided into the device body 201. Though not shown in the figure,the device body 201 has an opening and a lid capable of closing theopening on the bottom surface thereof. The battery pack 100 is insertedinto the opening from the terminal surface 101 side to be mounted to thebattery mounting unit 203. The battery mounting unit 203 incorporates apositive terminal contact 3 a, a negative terminal contact 3 b, atemperature detection terminal contact 3 c, and a control terminalcontact 3 d that are arranged to be connected to the positive terminal21 a, the negative terminal 21 b, the temperature detection terminal 21c, and the control terminal 21 d of the battery pack 100, respectively.Those contacts 3 a to 3 d are arranged so as to correspond to thearrangement order and arrangement intervals of the terminals 21 a to 21d of the battery pack 100. It should be noted that the control terminalcontact 3 d may be omitted depending on the specifications of theelectronic apparatus 200.

Along with the downsizing of electronic apparatuses in recent years,battery packs used in those electronic apparatuses are also beingdownsized. On the other hand, due to the downsizing of electronicapparatuses and battery packs, arrangement intervals between contactsprovided to battery mounting units of the electronic apparatuses arealso reduced. Therefore, when a battery pack is not correctly insertedinto an electronic apparatus or the shape of contacts is defective, aproper mounting state of the battery pack and the electronic apparatuscannot be ensured, which causes a possibility that the electronicapparatus is not allowed to be correctly operated.

For example, in the case where a control terminal, a negative terminal,a temperature detection terminal, and a positive terminal are arrangedin the stated order on a terminal surface of a battery pack, when thebattery pack is not correctly inserted into an electronic apparatus orthe shape of contacts of the electronic apparatus is defective, there isa possibility that a negative terminal contact of the electronicapparatus comes into contact with the temperature detection terminal orthe control terminal of the battery pack. Further, when a failure causedwhen the negative terminal contact comes into contact with thetemperature detection terminal is compared with a failure caused whenthe negative terminal contact comes into contact with the controlterminal, the former causes a larger adverse influence from theperspective of ensuring of a normal operation of the electronicapparatus.

In this regard, in the battery pack 100 of this embodiment, the negativeterminal 21 b arranged between the temperature detection terminal 21 cand the control terminal 21 d is arranged closer to the control terminal21 d than the temperature detection terminal 21 c. Accordingly, thenegative terminal contact 3 b of the electronic apparatus is preventedfrom being erroneously connected to the temperature detection terminal21 c, and a state where the negative terminal contact 3 b is properlyconnected to the negative terminal 21 b can be stably ensured. As aresult, a normal operation of the electronic apparatus 200 can beensured.

The top cover 31 that forms the terminal surface 101 includes aplurality of terminal windows 42 (42 a, 42 b, 42 c, 42 d) (FIGS. 6 and7). The terminal window 42 a exposes the positive terminal 21 a to theoutside. The terminal window 42 d exposes the control terminal 21 d tothe outside. The terminal window 42 b is provided so as to be apart fromthe terminal window 42 d by a first gap (G1), and exposes the negativeterminal 21 b to the outside. The terminal window 42 c is provided so asto be apart from the terminal window 42 b by a second gap (G2) largerthan the first gap (G1), and exposes the temperature detection terminal21 c to the outside. As a result, predetermined terminal intervalsbetween the terminals 21 a to 21 d can be ensured, and a proper mountingstate of the battery pack 100 with respect to the battery mounting unit203 can be more stably ensured.

In this embodiment, a longitudinal dimension of the terminals 21 a to 21d along the X-axis direction, which are exposed from the terminalsurface 101, is 3 mm. A lateral dimension of the positive terminal 21 aalong the Z-axis direction is 4.25 mm, that of the negative terminal 21b is 3.85 mm, that of the temperature detection terminal 21 c and thecontrol terminal 21 d is 2.7 mm. Further, the gap (G1) between thenegative terminal 21 b and the control terminal 21 d is 1.2 mm, and thegap (G2) between the negative terminal 21 b and the temperaturedetection terminal 21 c is 1.65 mm.

In this embodiment, the temperature detection terminal 21 c is arrangedbetween the negative terminal 21 b and the positive terminal 21 a. Sincethis arrangement increases a distance between the positive terminal 21 aand the negative terminal 21 b, electrical insulation between thoseterminals 21 a and 21 b can be enhanced.

Further, since the above-mentioned arrangement allows the positiveterminal 21 a to be disposed at the outermost position, a degree offreedom on the shape and size of the positive terminal 21 a is enhanced.In this embodiment, the positive terminal 21 a is formed to have an arealarger than that of the negative terminal 21 b. Accordingly, a degree offreedom on the arrangement of the contact 3 a of the electronicapparatus is enhanced, and a proper mounting state of the battery pack100 can be ensured.

(Concave Portion)

The terminal surface 101 of the battery pack 100 includes a firstconcave portion 43 and a second concave portion 44. The first and secondconcave portions 43 and 44 are provided at positions substantiallysymmetric with respect to the center line P1 (FIG. 2) on the terminalsurface 101, e.g., at two ends of the terminal surface 101 that areopposed to each other in the Z-axis direction.

In this embodiment, the first concave portion 43 is provided close tothe right side surface 15 of the pack body 10, and the second concaveportion 44 is provided close to the left side surface 16 of the packbody 10. The first and second concave portions 43 and 44 are arranged onthe terminal surface 101 and closer to the lower surface 12 than theupper surface 11 of the pack body 10. In this embodiment, the first andsecond concave portions 43 and 44 are arranged closer to the lowersurface 12 of the pack body 10 than the center line P2 (FIG. 2) on theterminal surface 101.

As shown in FIG. 7, the first and second concave portions 43 and 44 havea width direction in the Z-axis direction, a height direction in theY-axis direction, and a depth direction in the X-axis direction. Thefirst and second concave portions 43 and 44 each have a planar portion45 a parallel to a YZ plane, a planar portion 45 b parallel to an XYplane, and a planar portion 45 c parallel to an XZ plane. The first andsecond concave portions 43 and 44 are each formed to have a cutout whoseshape obtained when viewed from the terminal surface 101 side issubstantially triangular (also referred to as substantially fan-like) bythe planar portion 45 a, the planar portion 45 b, and the side surface15 (side surface 16).

Two protrusions are formed at the bottom portion of the battery mountingunit 203 so as to correspond to the positions at which the first andsecond concave portions 43 and 44 are formed. FIG. 9 is across-sectional view of a main part of the electronic apparatus, showinga relationship between the battery mounting unit 203 and the batterypack 100 that has been properly inserted into the battery mounting unit203.

The contacts 3 a to 3 c and two protrusions 204 are provided at a bottomportion 203 a of the battery mounting unit 203 that is opposed to theterminal surface 101 of the battery pack 100. The contacts 3 a to 3 care arranged so as to be opposed to the terminals 21 a to 21 d on theterminal surface 101. The two protrusions 204 are arranged so as tocorrespond to the positions at which the concave portions 43 and 44 areformed. FIG. 9 shows the positive terminal contact 3 a connected to thepositive terminal 21 a of the battery pack 100 and one of theprotrusions 204 that is opposed to the first concave portion 43.

When the battery pack 100 is inserted into the electronic apparatus 200in a proper posture, the protrusions 204 enter regions where the firstand second concave portions 43 and 44 are formed, which allowsconnection between the terminals 21 a to 21 d of the battery pack 100and the contacts 3 a to 3 d of the battery mounting unit 203. In thisstate, a protruding length, shape, size, and the like of the protrusions204 may be set such that the protrusions 204 do not come into contactwith any surface of the terminal surface 101.

On the other hand, when the battery pack 100 is mounted to the batterymounting unit 203 with the surfaces thereof turned upside down, theprotrusions 204 come into contact with regions on the terminal surface101, in which the first and second concave portions 43 and 44 are notformed, and restrict further insertion of the battery pack 100 fromthose contacting positions. Accordingly, a function of preventing thebattery pack 100 from being erroneously inserted into the electronicapparatus 200 can be obtained, and a user is allowed to recognize thatthe battery pack 100 is not inserted into the electronic apparatus 200in a correct posture. Further, when the insertion of the battery pack100 is restricted due to the protrusions 204 and the terminal surface101 that are brought into contact with each other, a protruding lengthof the protrusions 204 or contacts 3 a to 3 d may be set such that theterminals 21 a to 21 d do not come into contact with the contacts 3 a to3 d.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the terminals 21 a to 21 d ofthe terminal unit 20 are arranged on the terminal surface 101 and closerto the right side surface 15 than the left side surface 16. Accordingly,the symmetry of the terminals 21 a to 21 d with respect to the centerline P1 parallel to the X-axis direction on the terminal surface 101 islost, which can hinder an electrical connection between the terminalunit 20 and the electronic apparatus 200 at the time of erroneousinsertion.

In this case, the first concave portion 43 has a width dimension largerthan that of the second concave portion 44 in the Z-axis direction.Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, a width dimension W1 of the firstconcave portion 43 is set to be larger than a width dimension W2 of thesecond concave portion 44.

Accordingly, at the time of the insertion of the battery pack 100 intothe battery mounting unit 203 in a proper posture, the first concaveportion 43 on the side on which the terminals 21 a to 21 d are arrangedcan be prevented from interfering with the protrusion 204, and a stableelectrical connection between the terminals 21 a to 21 d of the terminalunit 20 and the contacts 3 a to 3 d of the battery mounting unit 203 canbe ensured. Further, the region of the first concave portion 43 isformed to have a relatively large area, and the interference with theprotrusion 204 can thus be suppressed, even when dust is accumulated atthe corner of the first concave portion 43 and the width of the bottomsurface of the cutout region become smaller than the width W1. As aresult, a stable electrical connection between the terminal unit 20 andthe battery mounting unit 203 is ensured.

The size of the width dimensions W1 and W2 of the first and secondconcave portions 43 and 44 is not particularly limited. In thisembodiment, the width dimension W1 is set to 3.85 mm, and the widthdimension W2 is set to 3.5 mm. In addition, a height dimension of thefirst and second concave portions 43 and 44 along the Y-axis directionis set to, for example, 1.8 mm.

Additionally, the terminals 21 a to 21 d of the terminal unit 20 arearranged on the terminal surface 101 and closer to the upper surface 11than the lower surface 12. In this embodiment, the terminals 21 a to 21d are arranged on the terminal surface 101 and closer to the uppersurface 11 of the pack body 10 than the center line P2 (FIG. 2) on theterminal surface 101.

Accordingly, the symmetry of the terminal unit 20 with respect to thecenter line P2 is lost, which can hinder an electrical connectionbetween the terminals 21 a to 21 d and the contacts 3 a to 3 d at thetime of erroneous insertion of the battery pack 100 into the batterymounting unit 203. Further, regions where the first and second concaveportions 43 and 44 are to be formed are easily ensured.

On the other hand, the formation of the first and second concaveportions 43 and 44 allows the strength of the terminal surface 101 to beenhanced. FIGS. 10 and 11 are a perspective view and a plan view showingthe structure of the inner surface of the top cover 31. As describedabove, the top cover 31 is formed of an injection molded body of asynthetic resin material. The top cover 31 includes a peripheral wallportion 310 to be fitted into the front end of the cell unit 30, a pairof reference pins 311 for positioning of the wiring substrate 21, and apair of fixing claws 312 that fix the wiring substrate 21, in additionto the terminal windows 42 a to 42 d and the concave portions 43 and 44.

The first and second concave portions 43 and 44 are formed by depressingpredetermined portions of the top cover 31 in the Y-axis direction, andbumps 313 and 314 are formed on the inner surface of the top cover 31 atpositions corresponding to the positions where the first and secondconcave portions 43 and 44 are formed. The pair of reference pins 311are formed so as to be opposed to each other in the Z-axis direction anddetermines a position where the wiring substrate 21 is to be attached tothe inner surface of the top cover 31. The pair of fixing claws 312 areformed on the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 310 so as tobe opposed to each other in the X-axis direction and engaged with bothedges of the wiring substrate 21 positioned by the pair of referencepins 311.

On the other hand, the wiring substrate 21 includes a pair ofthrough-holes 201 a, through which the pair of reference pins 311 pass,and cutouts 201 b and 201 c formed to avoid the interference with thebumps 313 and 314. Various circuit devices such as a thermistor, adetermination circuit, and a protection circuit are mounted onto thefront side or rear side of the wiring substrate 21.

In the top cover 31 configured as described above, the bumps 313 and 314each function as a rib for enhancing the rigidity of the entire topcover 31 and improving the strength thereof. With this configuration,the terminal surface 101 is protected against the drop impact of thebattery pack 100, and the wiring substrate 21 and various devicesmounted thereonto can be prevented from being broken. In addition, thepair of reference pins 311 and the fixing claws 312 allow highlyaccurate positioning of the wiring substrate 21 with respect to the topcover 31.

Furthermore, since the width dimension W1 of the first concave portion43 is formed to be larger than the width dimension W2 of the secondconcave portion 44, the rigidity of the end of the top cover 31 on theright side surface 15 side, on which the terminals 21 a to 21 d of theterminal unit 20 are arranged, is enhanced. Accordingly, the terminals21 a to 21 d can be effectively protected against the drop impact.

Moreover, in the top cover 31 of this embodiment, both side surfacesopposed to each other in the width direction (Z-axis direction) arearc-shaped surfaces, and the first and second concave portions 43 and 44are formed in the arc-shaped regions of the both side surfaces of thetop cover 31 (FIG. 12).

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the front surface of the top cover 31.The both side surfaces of the top cover 31, which are opposed to eachother in the width direction, are each formed by a part of a peripheralsurface of a cylinder with a predetermined radius, and when viewed fromthe front surface of the top cover 31, the first and second concaveportions 43 and 44 are each provided within a region of a circumferenceof a circle CA to which each of the both side surfaces belongs. In thisway, by the definition of the regions where the first and second concaveportions 43 and 44 are to be formed, a substrate area of the wiringsubstrate 21 arranged on the inner surface of the top cover 31 can beensured. Further, since the two corners of the pack body (top cover 31)are cut due to the formation of the concave portions 43 and 44, evenwhen the battery pack 100 is dropped erroneously, the drop impact ismitigated compared with the case where the corners are present. As aresult, the breakage of the battery pack 100 can be eliminated orminimized.

(Locking Portion)

A battery pack is typically configured to be rechargeable with anelectronic apparatus such as a charger. In this case, to maintain aproper connection state between the terminals of the battery pack andthe contacts of the charger, the battery pack is required to be stablyheld by the charger. Typically, in the battery pack, a terminal surfaceon which the terminals are arranged and an end surface opposite to theterminal surface are locked to a battery mounting unit of the charger.

However, there is a possibility that the battery pack is accidentallydetached from the charger by external forces such as a vibration and animpact that act on the charger.

In this regard, in this embodiment, in order to prevent the battery packfrom being accidentally detached from the electronic apparatus, the rearsurface 14 of the pack body 10 is provided with a locking portioncapable of being locked to the electronic apparatus.

FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the battery pack 100 (pack body 10). Therear surface 14 of the pack body 10, which is formed by a surface of thebottom cover 32, is provided with a locking portion 51. The lockingportion 51 is typically formed by a substantially rectangular concaveportion, but it may be formed by a convex portion or a flat surface. Thelocking portion 51 is arranged closer to one side surface than a centerline P3 passing the center of the width direction (Z-axis direction) ofthe rear surface 14 and being parallel to the X-axis direction. In thisembodiment, the locking portion 51 is provided close to the right sidesurface 15 of the pack body 10.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the electronicapparatus 200, showing a state when the battery pack 100 is mounted tothe battery mounting unit 203. The battery mounting unit 203 includes anopening 203 b, in which a locking claw 208 and a lid 205 are provided.The locking portion 51 is locked to the locking claw 208 when thebattery pack 100 is inserted into the battery mounting unit 203 in aproper posture. Accordingly, the battery pack 100 is fixed to thebattery mounting unit 203.

Further, an elastic member (coil spring) 206 for ejecting the batterypack 100 is arranged at the bottom portion 203 a of the battery mountingunit 203. The elastic member 206 biases the terminal surface 101 of thebattery pack 100 inserted into the battery mounting unit 203 so as toeject the battery pack 100 to the opening 203 b side. Since the elasticmember 206 and the locking claw 208 are arranged at positions of thebattery pack 100 on a substantially diagonal line, an elastic force ofthe elastic member 206 generates a moment to turn the battery pack 100about an axis parallel to the X axis within the battery mounting unit203, as shown in FIG. 14. Accordingly, since the moment acts to enhancethe connection between the terminals 21 a to 21 d of the terminalsurface 101 and the contacts 3 a to 3 d of the battery mounting unit203, a stable electrical connection between the battery pack 100 and theelectronic apparatus 200 is achieved.

It should be noted that depending on the type of electronic apparatus,the locking claw 208 may be provided to the opening 203 b in such apositional relationship that the locking claw 208 is opposed to theelastic member 206. In this case, the locking portion 51 may be providedclose to the left side surface 16 of the pack body 10 or may be providedclose to the both side surfaces.

Further, the locking portion 51 is arranged on the rear surface 14 ofthe pack body 10 and closer to the lower surface 12 than the uppersurface 11. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, the locking portion51 is arranged closer to the lower surface 12 of the pack body 10 than acenter line P4 extending on the rear surface 14 and parallel to the Zaxis. Accordingly, the battery pack 100 can be prevented from beingaccidentally detached from an electronic apparatus including a batterymounting unit as shown in FIG. 15, for example.

An electronic apparatus 210 shown in FIG. 15 includes a battery mountingunit 213 in which the battery pack 100 can be accommodated on an uppersurface thereof. The battery mounting unit 213 has a pair of inner wallsurfaces opposed to each other in the Y-axis direction. A contactportion 215 to be connected to the terminal surface 101 (terminal unit20) of the battery pack 100 is arranged on one of the inner wallsurfaces, and a locking claw 214 to be locked to the rear surface 14(locking portion 51) of the battery pack 100 is arranged on the otherinner wall surface. The battery pack 100 is mounted to the batterymounting unit 213 with the terminal surface 101 being brought intocontact with the contact portion 215, while the rear surface 14 side ofthe battery pack 100 is rotatably moved in a direction indicated by thearrow A about an axis parallel to the Z axis. Examples of the electronicapparatus 210 adopting the battery mounting unit 213 having such astructure includes a charger.

Here, the terminals 21 a to 21 d of the terminal unit 20 are arrangedclose to the upper surface 11, and the locking portion 51 is arrangedclose to the lower surface 12, with a center line P5 interposed betweenthe upper surface 11 and the lower surface 12, the center line P5passing the center of the thickness direction of the pack body 10 andbeing parallel to the Y-axis direction (FIG. 15). Further, in manycases, the battery mounting unit 213 has a structure in which one of thecontact portion 215 and the locking claw 214 presses the terminal unit20 or the locking portion 51 by an elastic force. Therefore, in thestate where the battery pack 100 is mounted to the battery mounting unit213, the battery pack 100 is held with the moment imparted in thedirection indicated by the arrow A. Therefore, even in the case where anexternal force such as a vibration acts on the electronic apparatus 210in a direction in which the battery pack 100 is detached from thebattery mounting unit 213 (direction indicated by the arrow B oppositeto the arrow A), the battery pack 100 can be stably held.

(Size of Battery Pack)

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the battery pack 100 of this embodiment hasthe thickness direction in the X-axis direction, the length direction inthe Y-axis direction, and the width direction in the Z-axis direction.In one embodiment, a dimension in the thickness direction (Dx) is 9 mm±2mm, a dimension in the length direction (Dy) is 43 mm±2 mm, and adimension in the width direction (Dz) is 30 mm±2 mm. For example, Dx is9.13 mm (+0.37 mm, −0.10 mm), Dy is 42.64 mm (±0.16 mm), and Dz is 29.85mm±0.15 mm.

In recent years, the battery pack has been demanded for thinning anddownsizing while maintaining a necessary battery capacity. However, itis difficult for a thin battery pack to have a large battery capacity.When the length dimension and width dimension of a thin battery pack areincreased, the interference with a structural portion of a lens barrelor the like is caused, which makes it difficult to downsize a camerabody. On the other hand, when the thickness dimension of the batterypack is increased, the recent demand for the thinning of the electronicapparatus is not met.

In this regard, in the battery pack 100 of this embodiment, thedimensions of the respective portions of the battery pack 100 are set tothe above-mentioned dimensions in order to ensure the thinning and anecessary battery capacity. The battery pack 100 with such a size issuitable for, for example, a battery pack of an imaging apparatus forcapturing still images or moving images.

(Shape of Terminal Window)

In the battery pack 100 of this embodiment, the top cover 31 includes aplurality of rectangular terminal windows 42, from which the terminals21 a to 21 d of the terminal unit 20 are exposed to the outside.

If a cover attached to an end surface of a battery pack is provided withan opening like a terminal window, the rigidity of the cover isgenerally reduced, and the cover is easily broken when an external forcesuch as a drop impact is received, for example.

In this regard, to enhance the durability of the top cover 31 againstthe drop impact and the like, in this embodiment, one terminal window ofthe plurality of the terminal windows 42 that is located at theoutermost position in the Z-axis direction has one corner portion formedin a curvature radius larger than that of the other corner portions ofthe terminal window.

FIG. 16 is a plan view showing the shape of the terminal windows 42 (42a to 42 d) of the top cover 31. In this embodiment, the terminal window42 a for the positive terminal 21 a, which is located at the outermostposition in the Z-axis direction among the plurality of terminal windows42 a to 42 d, has a corner portion C1 formed in a curvature radiuslarger than that of the other corner portions C0. The other cornerportions other than the corner portion C1 of the terminal window 42 a,and corner portions of the other terminal windows 42 b to 42 d otherthan the terminal window 42 a are formed in a curvature radius equal tothat of the corner portions C0.

The terminal window 42 a located at the outermost position of the topcover 31 in the width direction is most susceptible to an external forcesuch as a drop impact applied to the battery pack 100, and the top cover31 is easily broken. In this embodiment, since the corner portion C1having a curvature radius larger than that of the other corner portionsC0 is provided at one portion of the terminal window 42 a, the rigidityat the part of the corner portion C1 can be enhanced and the top cover31 can be protected against the breakage. Further, the positive terminal21 a exposed from the terminal window 42 a is also protected.

The corner portion C1 is a corner portion provided at the positionclosest to any one of the upper surface 11, the lower surface 12, thefront surface 13, the rear surface 14, the right side surface 15, andthe left side surface 16 of the pack body 10. Accordingly, the breakageof the top cover 31 due to an external force applied to any one of thesurfaces can be suppressed. In this embodiment, the corner portion C1 isprovided at the position closest to the upper surface 11 or the rightside surface 15 of the pack body 10.

The corner portion C1 is a corner portion provided at the positionclosest to any one of the right side surface 15 and the left sidesurface 16 of the pack body 10. Accordingly, the breakage of the topcover 31 due to an external force applied to any one of the surfaces canbe suppressed. In this embodiment, the corner portion C1 is provided atthe position closest to the right side surface 15 of the pack body 10.

The top cover 31 includes four corner portions M1, M2, M3, and M4. Inthis embodiment, the corner portion C1 is provided at the positionclosest to the corner portion M1 of the four corner portions M1 to M4.Accordingly, the terminal window 42 a can be effectively protectedagainst an external force applied to the corner portion M1. The cornerportion C1 is not limited to the example in which it is provided at theabove-mentioned position. For example, the corner portion C1 may beprovided at a corner portion of the terminal window 42 a close to thecorner portion M2 or a corner portion of the terminal window 42 d forthe control terminal 21 d, close to the corner portion M3 or M4.

Further, in this embodiment, the plurality of terminal windows 42 a to42 d are arranged close to the upper surface 11 of the battery pack 100.In this embodiment, since the corner portion C1 of the terminal window42 a close to the corner portion M1 is formed in a curvature radiuslarger than that of the other corner portions C0, even if the cornerportion M1 and the terminal window 42 a become close to each other, theconcentration of a stress generated therebetween can be reduced, and thetop cover 31 can be protected against a breakage.

In addition, in this embodiment, the plurality of terminal windows 42 ato 42 d are arranged close to the right side surface 15 of the batterypack 100. Also in such a case, the concentration of a stress generatedbetween the corner portion M1 and the terminal window 42 a can bereduced, and the breakage of the top cover 31, such as a crack of theterminal surface 101, can be hindered.

Modified Example

Hereinafter, the embodiment of the present technology has beendescribed, but the present technology is not limited to the embodimentdescribed above. As a matter of course, the present technology may bevariously modified without departing from the gist of the presenttechnology.

For example, in the embodiment described above, the pack body 10 isconstituted of a combination of the cell unit 30, the top cover 31, andthe bottom cover 32. Though not limited thereto, the pack body may beconstituted of a single component.

The right side surface 15 and the left side surface 16 are each formedby an arc-shaped surface bulging outward. Though not limited thereto,the right side surface 15 and the left side surface 16 may be formed ina substantially planar shape partially including an arc-shaped surfaceor only a substantially planar shape.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the structural example hasbeen described, in which the terminal unit 20 is arranged between thecell unit 30 and the top cover 31, and the terminals 21 a to 21 d of theterminal unit 20 are exposed to the outside via the terminal windows 42of the top cover 31. However, the terminals of the terminal unit may bedirectly provided to the front surface of the pack body.

The terminal unit 20 has the configuration in which the controlterminal, the negative terminal, the temperature detection terminal, andthe positive terminal are arranged in the stated order along the Z axis,but it is not limited thereto. The terminal unit 20 may have aconfiguration in which the control terminal, the positive terminal, thetemperature detection terminal, and the negative terminal are arrangedin the stated order along the Z axis.

The terminals 20 a to 20 d of the terminal unit 20 are arranged close tothe upper surface 11 of the battery pack 100. However, the terminals 20a to 20 d may be arrange at substantially the center of the terminalsurface 101 or arranged close to the lower surface 12. In this case, thefirst and second concave portions 43 and 44 may be arranged close toupper surface 11 of the battery pack 100.

Further, the terminals 20 a to 20 d of the terminal unit 20 are arrangedclose to the right side surface 15 of the battery pack 100, but it maybe arranged close to the left side surface 16. In this case, out of thefirst and second concave portions 43 and 44, the second concave portion44 provided close to the left side surface 16 may be formed in a widthdimension larger than that of the first concave portion 43.

It should be noted that the first and second concave portions 43 and 44are provided on the terminal surface 101 for the purpose of preventingerroneous insertion and may be omitted depending on the specifications.Similarly, the locking portion 51 formed on the rear surface 14 of thebattery pack 100 may be omitted depending on the specifications.

The top cover 31 has the configuration including the pair of referencepins 311 for positioning of the wiring substrate 21 and the pair offixing claws 312 for fixing the wiring substrate 21, but it is notlimited thereto. The top cover 31 may not be provided with the referencepins 311 and the fixing claws 312. In such a case, the wiring substrate21 has a configuration free from the pair of through-holes 201 a throughwhich the pair of reference pins 311 pass.

It should be noted that the present technology may have the followingconfigurations.

(1) A battery pack, including:

a pack body having a first main surface and a second main surface thatare opposed to each other in a first axis direction, a first end surfaceand a second end surface that are opposed to each other in a second axisdirection orthogonal to the first axis direction, and a first sidesurface and a second side surface that are opposed to each other in athird axis direction orthogonal to the first axis direction and thesecond axis direction; and

a plurality of terminals including a positive terminal, a negativeterminal, a temperature detection terminal, and a control terminal thatare arranged on the first end surface along the third axis direction,the negative terminal being arranged between the temperature detectionterminal and the control terminal and closer to the control terminalthan the temperature detection terminal.

(2) The battery pack according to (1) above, in which

the first end surface includes

-   -   a first terminal window to expose the control terminal to an        outside,    -   a second terminal window that is provided apart from the first        terminal window by a first gap and exposes the negative terminal        to the outside,    -   a third terminal window that is provided apart from the second        terminal window by a second gap larger than the first gap and        exposes the temperature detection terminal to the outside, and    -   a fourth terminal window to expose the positive terminal to the        outside.

(3) The battery pack according to (1) or (2) above, in which

the temperature detection terminal is arranged between the negativeterminal and the positive terminal.

(4) The battery pack according to (3), in which

the positive terminal has an area larger than that of the negativeterminal.

(5) The battery pack according to any one of (1) to (4) above, in which

the first end surface includes a first concave portion provided close tothe first side surface and a second concave portion provided close tothe second side surface, and

the first concave portion and the second concave portion are arranged onthe first end surface and closer to the second main surface than thefirst main surface.

(6) The battery pack according to (5) above, in which

the plurality of terminals are arranged on the first end surface andcloser to the first side surface than the second side surface.

(7) The battery pack according to (5) above, in which

the first concave portion has a width dimension larger than that of thesecond concave portion in the third axis direction.

(8) The battery pack according to (7), in which

the first concave portion and the second concave portion each have aheight dimension of 1.8 mm or more along the second axis direction.

(9) The battery pack according to any one of (1) to (8) above, in which

the plurality of terminals are arranged on the first end surface andcloser to the first main surface than the second main surface.

(10) The battery pack according to (9) above, in which

the second end surface includes a locking portion to be locked to anelectronic apparatus, and

the locking portion is arranged on the second end surface and closer tothe second main surface than the first main surface.

Further, the present technology may also have the followingconfigurations.

(1) A battery pack, including:

a first main surface;

a second main surface opposed to the first main surface in a first axisdirection;

a first end surface provided between the first main surface and thesecond main surface and including a plurality of terminals including apositive terminal, a negative terminal, a temperature detectionterminal, and a control terminal, the plurality of terminals beingarranged closer to the first main surface than the second main surface;

a second end surface opposed to the first end surface in a second axisdirection orthogonal to the first axis direction, and including alocking portion that is configured to be locked to a battery packmounting device and arranged closer to the second main surface than thefirst main surface;

a first side surface provided between the first main surface and thesecond main surface; and

a second side surface opposed to the first side surface in a third axisdirection orthogonal to the first axis direction and the second axisdirection.

(2) The battery pack according to (1) above, in which

the first end surface includes a first concave portion provided close tothe first side surface and a second concave portion provided close tothe second side surface, and

the first concave portion and the second concave portion are arranged onthe first end surface and closer to the second main surface than thefirst main surface.

(3) The battery pack according to (2) above, in which

the plurality of terminals are arranged on the first end surface andcloser to the first side surface than the second side surface.

(4) The battery pack according to (3) above, in which

the first concave portion has a first width dimension in the third axisdirection, and

the second concave portion has a second width dimension smaller thanthat of the first width dimension in the third axis direction.

(5) The battery pack according to (4) above, in which

the first concave portion and the second concave portion each have aheight dimension of 1.8 mm or more along the second axis direction.

(6) The battery pack according to any one of (1) to (5) above, in which

the plurality of terminals are arranged on the first end surface andcloser to the first side surface than the second side surface.

(7) The battery pack according to (6) above, in which

the locking portion is arranged on the second end surface and closer tothe first side surface than the second side surface.

(8) The battery pack according to (7) above, in which

the locking portion is arranged closer to the first side surface than aterminal of the plurality of terminals, the terminal being locatedcloser to the first side surface.

Further, the present technology may also have the followingconfigurations.

(1) A battery pack for an imaging apparatus that captures at least oneof a still image and a moving image, the battery pack including:

a first main surface;

a second main surface opposed to the first main surface in a first axisdirection and having a distance of 9 mm±2 mm from the first mainsurface;

a first end surface provided between the first main surface and thesecond main surface;

a second end surface opposed to the first end surface in a second axisdirection orthogonal to the first axis direction and having a distanceof 43 mm±2 mm from the first end surface;

a first side surface provided between the first main surface and thesecond main surface; and

a second side surface opposed to the first side surface in a third axisdirection orthogonal to the first axis direction and the second axisdirection and having a distance of 30 mm±2 mm from the first sidesurface.

(2) The battery pack according to (1) above, in which

the first end surface includes a plurality of terminals including apositive terminal, a negative terminal, a temperature detectionterminal, and a control terminal.

(3) The battery pack according to (2) above, in which

the first end surface includes a first concave portion provided close tothe first side surface and a second concave portion provided close tothe second side surface, and

the first concave portion and the second concave portion are arranged onthe first end surface and closer to the second main surface than thefirst main surface.

(4) The battery pack according to (3) above, in which

the plurality of terminals are arranged on the first end surface andcloser to the first main surface than the second main surface.

(5) The battery pack according to (4) above, in which

the second end surface includes a locking portion configured to belocked to a battery pack mounting device, and

the locking portion is arranged on the second end surface and closer tothe second main surface than the first main surface.

Further, the present technology may also have the followingconfigurations.

(1) A battery pack, including:

a pack body having

-   -   a first main surface and a second main surface that are opposed        to each other in a first axis direction,    -   a first end surface and a second end surface that are opposed to        each other in a second axis direction orthogonal to the first        axis direction, and    -   a first side surface and a second side surface that are opposed        to each other in a third axis direction orthogonal to the first        axis direction and the second axis direction; and

a plurality of terminals including at least a positive terminal, anegative terminal, and a temperature detection terminal that arearranged on the first end surface along the third axis direction, and

a plurality of terminal windows configured to expose the terminals tooutside, including a first terminal window related to the positiveterminal, a second terminal window related to the negative terminal, athird terminal window related to the temperature detection terminal, anda fourth terminal window that are arranged on the terminals,

wherein the second terminal window being arranged between the thirdterminal window and the fourth terminal window and closer to the fourthterminal window than the third terminal window.

(2) The battery pack according to (1) above, in which

the temperature detection terminal is arranged between the negativeterminal and the positive terminal.

(3) The battery pack according to (1) above, in which

the positive terminal has an area larger than that of the temperaturedetection terminal.

(4) The battery pack according to (1) above, in which

the first end surface includes a first concave portion provided close tothe first side surface and a second concave portion provided close tothe second side surface, and

the first concave portion and the second concave portion are arranged onthe first end surface and closer to the second main surface than thefirst main surface.

(5) The battery pack according to any one of (1) to (4) above, in which

the plurality of terminal windows are closer to the first main surfacethan the second main surface.

(6) The battery pack according to any one of (1) to (5) above, in which

the first concave portion has a width dimension larger than that of thesecond concave portion in the third axis direction.

(7) The battery pack according to (6), in which the first concaveportion and the second concave portion each have a height dimension of1.8 mm or more along the second axis direction.

(8) The battery pack according to (1), in which the second end surfaceincludes a locking portion configured to be locked to an electronicapparatus, and the locking portion is arranged on the second end surfaceand closer to the second main surface than the first main surface.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS

-   -   10 pack body    -   20 terminal unit    -   21 a positive terminal    -   21 b negative terminal    -   21 c temperature detection terminal    -   21 d control terminal    -   42, 42 a to 42 d terminal window    -   43 first concave portion    -   44 second concave portion    -   51 locking portion    -   100 battery pack    -   101 terminal surface    -   200, 210 electronic apparatus

The invention claimed is:
 1. A battery pack, comprising: a pack body having a first main surface and a second main surface that are opposed to each other in a first axis direction, a first end surface and a second end surface that are opposed to each other in a second axis direction orthogonal to the first axis direction, and a first side surface and a second side surface that are opposed to each other in a third axis direction orthogonal to the first axis direction and the second axis direction; and a plurality of terminals including at least a positive terminal, a negative terminal, a control terminal, and a temperature detection terminal that are arranged on the first end surface along the third axis direction, and a plurality of terminal windows configured to expose the terminals to outside, including a first terminal window related to the positive terminal, a second terminal window related to the negative terminal, a third terminal window related to the temperature detection terminal, and a fourth terminal window related to the control terminal, that are arranged on the terminals, wherein the second terminal window related to the negative terminal is being arranged between the third terminal window related to the temperature detection and the fourth terminal window related to the control terminal, wherein, along the third axis direction, the second terminal window is positioned and closer to the fourth terminal window than to the third terminal window, and wherein, among the first terminal window, the second terminal window and the third terminal window, the third terminal window related to the temperature detection has a shortest length along the third axis direction.
 2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the temperature detection terminal is arranged between the negative terminal and the positive terminal.
 3. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein the positive terminal has an area larger than that of the temperature detection terminal.
 4. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the first end surface includes a first concave portion provided close to the first side surface and a second concave portion provided close to the second side surface, and the first concave portion and the second concave portion are arranged on the first end surface and closer to the second main surface than the first main surface.
 5. The battery pack according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of terminal windows are closer to the first main surface than the second main surface.
 6. The battery pack according to claim 4, wherein the first concave portion has a width dimension larger than that of the second concave portion in the third axis direction.
 7. The battery pack according to claim 6, wherein the first concave portion and the second concave portion each have a height dimension of 1.8 mm or more along the second axis direction.
 8. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of terminal windows are closer to the first main surface than the second main surface.
 9. The battery pack according to claim 8, wherein the second end surface includes a locking portion configured to be locked to an electronic apparatus, and the locking portion is arranged on the second end surface and closer to the second main surface than the first main surface. 